Post by Denise on Mar 16, 2011 9:51:12 GMT
Epilepsy is a common and chronic neurological condition that is defined as a tendency to have recurrent unprovoked seizures. A seizure is caused by a sudden burst of excess electrical activity in the brain, which temporarily disrupts the normal passage of messages between brain cells.
The age-standardised prevalence of epilepsy in the UK is estimated to be 7.5 per 1000 population, but is likely to be 25% higher in the most socially deprived areas compared with the areas that are least socially deprived.
There are major health, educational, employment and psychosocial implications attached to a diagnosis of epilepsy. However, making the diagnosis can be difficult and misdiagnosis is frequent, particularly when the diagnosis is made by a non-specialist. A lack of training among medical practitioners and limited access to epilepsy specialists has been cited as a major cause of misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis rates in the UK, where a diagnosis of epilepsy is incorrectly made, are between 20-31%. The annual total cost (NHS and community based services) of this type of epilepsy misdiagnosis in England and Wales has been estimated to be up to £138 million. An unknown number of people also have a missed diagnosis, where they actually have epilepsy but it has been diagnosed as something else. Misdiagnosis of epilepsy has economic implications for the NHS and society as a whole.
Epilepsy is associated with a risk of premature death that is two to three times higher than in the general population. There are around 1000 epilepsy-related deaths each year in the UK, most of which are associated with seizures. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the principal cause of seizure-related death in people with chronic epilepsy and is estimated to account for around half of these deaths each year. Although up to 70% of people with epilepsy have the potential to be seizure-free through accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment, this is achieved in only around 52%. Inadequate access to specialist care and lack of appropriate investigations have been cited as deficiencies in the management of epilepsy in hospitals, and a lack of timely access to skilled specialists identified as a deficiency in general practice.
NICE guideline can be accessed here www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/10954/29532/29532.pdf
The age-standardised prevalence of epilepsy in the UK is estimated to be 7.5 per 1000 population, but is likely to be 25% higher in the most socially deprived areas compared with the areas that are least socially deprived.
There are major health, educational, employment and psychosocial implications attached to a diagnosis of epilepsy. However, making the diagnosis can be difficult and misdiagnosis is frequent, particularly when the diagnosis is made by a non-specialist. A lack of training among medical practitioners and limited access to epilepsy specialists has been cited as a major cause of misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis rates in the UK, where a diagnosis of epilepsy is incorrectly made, are between 20-31%. The annual total cost (NHS and community based services) of this type of epilepsy misdiagnosis in England and Wales has been estimated to be up to £138 million. An unknown number of people also have a missed diagnosis, where they actually have epilepsy but it has been diagnosed as something else. Misdiagnosis of epilepsy has economic implications for the NHS and society as a whole.
Epilepsy is associated with a risk of premature death that is two to three times higher than in the general population. There are around 1000 epilepsy-related deaths each year in the UK, most of which are associated with seizures. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the principal cause of seizure-related death in people with chronic epilepsy and is estimated to account for around half of these deaths each year. Although up to 70% of people with epilepsy have the potential to be seizure-free through accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment, this is achieved in only around 52%. Inadequate access to specialist care and lack of appropriate investigations have been cited as deficiencies in the management of epilepsy in hospitals, and a lack of timely access to skilled specialists identified as a deficiency in general practice.
NICE guideline can be accessed here www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/10954/29532/29532.pdf